Miller, Michael Murray (1861-1864) to Lile Miller
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02155.027 Author/Creator: Miller, Michael Murray (1861-1864) Place Written: Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 5 January 1862 Pagination: 6 p. ; 20 x 12.4 cm. Order a Copy
Written at Camp Pierpont to his wife. Discusses the difficulty of obtaining wood and the possibility of acquiring a small sheet iron stove. Complains that soldiers from New York receive more press than the Pennsylvania troops: "...i see your Sunday New Yorkers or Porter guards as they are called there wants a Barracks to live in if they come here we will give them a Barracks and some thing else to do than Box and Play Ball in the dimond [sic], not that i Blame the Soldiers themselves, But every Paper and letter that comes from there is filled with their doings [while] the men from there who have Borne the Burden now for Seven months... hardly Receives a passing Remark..." Discusses a recent, confidential report: "...this Division has Been asked to go with Genl Butlers expedition and... the Generals are agreed to go if the Colonels are..."
Eight companies of the newly formed 10th New York Cavalry, the Porter Guards, arrived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania by train on Christmas evening 1861 and spent the night in rail cars. Since adequate quarters had not been prepared, the next day the men were billeted in town at several locales. There they remained until their encampment was ready for occupation. During their stay, the Gettysburg Adams Sentinel published several articles commenting on their presence from New Years Day until mid-March 1862 (Elwood W. Christ, The Porter Guards at Gettysburg, Emmitsburg Area Historical Society website).
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